AI Ventures Shine at ‘Bark Tank’ Pitch Competition for $125,000 in Prizes

Five of the eight student teams who pitched their startup ideas during the Leonsis Family Entrepreneurship Prize "Bark Tank" Pitch Competition were powered by AI, reflecting the broader societal trend toward AI-adoption into daily life. Together, they took home $125,000 in prizes assessed by a panel of expert judges, including two former Bark Tank participants.

Inspired by their pitches, Ted Leonsis (C'77, P'14, P'15), chairman and chief executive officer of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, and his family increased the competition's prize pool to $125,000 - furthering the financial impact of the $5 million gift the Leonsis family provided last year which ensures the Leonsis Family Entrepreneurship "Bark Tank" Prize exists in perpetuity. It also allows for impactful growth opportunities for each of the finalists who took to the stage.

"This is our favorite night as a family," said Leonsis, who spoke to the crowd during the event. "Almost 50 years ago, I started my first company on this campus." He also shared about the inspiration to create Bark Tank.

"Starting a business, and growing a business, and being a contributor is the bedrock of American society. At Georgetown, it's not just about learning how to make a financial return, it's also about the good being put back into the world by students and alumni."

As the university welcomes a new president in 2026, Leonsis encouraged the students and guests in attendance to look toward supporting entrepreneurship for the common good as they continue to strive toward being a positive influence in the world.

During the event, the 2025 Bark Tank winners were announced:

The Petition Co. won the grand prize of $30,000, earning recognition as 'Bark Tank's Top Dog' of the competition. They also received the $5,000 People's Choice Award. Led by Michael Korvyakov (B'27) and Krish Malik (C'28), The Petition Co. uses AI software to read scanned voting-related documents to expedite the process of validating elections and ballot initiatives, already implementing their work with local and global contracts with the goal of protecting the voice of the voter.

Parachute tiedfor second place, earning the $20,000 prize. Led by Joseph Shenton (MBA'27), Parachute is an innovative health-tech apparel company creating fashionable protective outerwear that cushions falls and dramatically lowers injury risk for seniors.

Capsy also won second place, receiving $20,000. Led by Brooke Rogers (C'28), Capsy transforms instant photo sharing into meaningful anticipation by letting friend groups create collaborative digital time capsules (capsies) that unlock shared memories together on future dates.

Racquet Theory tied for third place, receiving $15,000. This is a multimedia tennis platform with the goal of introducing the sport to new generations of fans led by seniors Evan Cole (C'26) and Neel Sadda (C'25).

TariffIQ also won the third place $15,000 prize. It is led by a team of four graduate students in the M.A. in International Business and Policy program: John Kay (IBP'25), Harold Moore (IBP'25), Campbell Shepherd (IBP'25), and Shannon Vaughn (IBP'25). This AI-powered platform helps businesses navigate the ever-changing landscape of global tariffs by bringing predictability back to trade - maximizing profitability, reducing duty exposure, and ensuring trade compliance in real time.

thrippy won the fourth place $10,000 prize. It is a photo-enabled thrift and vintage clothing search platform, powered by AI, that searches multiple sites at once and selects products that fit the users' vibe. It is led by Shahla Fatemi (MBA'26).

Wave, led by Layla Campbell (B'28) and Alyssa Xu (B'28), tied for the fifth place prize of $5,000. Wave is a mobile app that strengthens social networks by making in-person meetups easier - with the goal of helping users tap into their full circle of friends.

Finally, Skincare Connector, led by Anant Bansal (H'29), received $5,000. Skincare Connector is an AI-powered app that analyzes skin conditions through selfies, provides personalized product recommendations, and tracks users' progress over time to identify what truly works for their skin.

The Leonsis Family Entrepreneurship Prize is supported by longtime entrepreneur Ted Leonsis; his wife, Lynn; his son, Zach Leonsis (MBA'15); and his daughter, Elle Leonsis Helme (C'14).

Aligning with the values of Georgetown University, the Leonsis Family Entrepreneurship Prize honors and supports Georgetown students who have launched or are preparing to launch new business ventures that will address problems in the world around them. Ultimately, the Leonsis Family Entrepreneurship Prize builds awareness around the innovation and accomplishments of Georgetown's entrepreneurs and strengthens the university's reputation as a place where ambitious students can turn their passions into entrepreneurial ventures.

For more information about the Leonsis Family Entrepreneurship Prize, visit the Georgetown Entrepreneurship website or watch this year's recording on their YouTube channel.